Date Published: 21/09/2021
ARCHIVED - Spain Covid update September 20: Lowest number of infections since August 2020
ARCHIVED ARTICLE The 7-day cumulative incidence rate in Spain is already below the ‘low risk’ level
Spain has ended the weekend with some of the most encouraging
coronavirus figures since August last year, with nearly every data point released by the Ministry of Health on Monday September 20 indicating that the country is steadily sailing towards a level of ‘new normal’.
Cumulative incidence rate
The 14-day figure has continued its downward trend, as was experienced all last week, and has fallen nearly 13 points over the weekend to reach 83.43 cases per 100,000 inhabitants. This is a figure very close to that observed in August last year, and if the trend continues, Spain could be out of the danger zone very shortly.
In addition, the 7-day rate has already hit the low risk level with 16.5 cases per 100,000 inhabitants.
Ceuta and Melilla remain the only communities at a high risk level (more than 150 cases per 100,000 inhabitants) while, at the other end of the scale, Asturias is the first region to enter into a ‘new normal’ with just 21 cases. Closely following this decline are
the Valencian Community (58), Galicia (61) and Castilla y Leon (62).
It is worth noting that while all of the other communities have by now fully vaccinated 100% of the older age group, the north African enclaves of Melilla and Ceuta have fallen behind (83.1% and 90.9% respectively). In fact, both of these autonomous communities have fully vaccinated fewer people in almost all age groups, which would certainly contribute to a higher infection rate.
Crucially, all of the age brackets from 12 years and above now have an incidence rate below 100 cases per 100,000, with the under 11s now representing the highest figure at 123 cases. This is to be expected, however, as this younger population is not currently being vaccinated against Covid.
Coronavirus infections
The number of new infections follows the same trend as the cumulative incidence rate, with the lowest amount of cases registered after a weekend since August 2020. The autonomous communities have reported 5,998 new infections, bringing the total number since the beginning of the pandemic to 4,935,534.
Fatalities and hospitalisations
Unfortunately, the death toll has slightly increased over the weekend with a further 118 fatalities reported on Monday. This brings the total number to 85,901 people.
As has been the case for several days, hospital pressure is down with 3.06% of ward beds and 10.71% of ICU beds being occupied by Covid patients. There are currently 3,668 patients admitted with coronavirus, 141 fewer than on Friday, while ICU numbers have dropped by 49 over the weekend to 979 patients. The last time that fewer than 1,000 people were being treated in intensive care was September 4 2020.
Madrid, Catalonia and the Basque Country, however, continue to register high hospitalisation rates, especially in ICUs: 20%, 17% and 14%, respectively.
Vaccination data
Image: Ayto Torre Pacheco